A conventional connector apparatus for an IC pack or memory card includes a generally U-shaped frame having a pair of guide grooves inside a pair of side frame portions, with a connector section joining or extending between the side frame portions. A planar IC pack is inserted into the apparatus within the side guide grooves. A transverse array of socket terminals at an edge of the IC pack electrically connect an associated array of pin terminals on the connector section.
Such connector apparatus often are provided as header connectors used for interconnecting the semiconductor circuit of the IC pack to an external circuit such as a main electronic unit. The header connector may be used with an IC pack or memory card for removably coupling the IC pack to a printed circuit board. The IC pack is inserted into the header connector and is extracted therefrom as needed. The extraction force of the IC pack, i.e. the force between the respective terminal pins on the header connector and the respective socket terminals of the IC pack, is relatively high due to the tight fit required to obtain a good electrical interconnection between the terminals. These terminals typically are disposed at a high density which further increases the extraction forces. Often, when an IC pack is to be extracted from a header connector, the card is grasped by a user and simply pulled out.
Consequently, a variety of ejecting mechanisms have been incorporated in various connector apparatus, such as the header connectors, for facilitating ejecting an IC pack from a header connector. Such ejecting mechanisms have been incorporated as integral or unitary devices fabricated as part of the connector apparatus or header connector, itself. On the other hand, separate ejecting mechanisms have been provided for assembly to the header connector, such as after the header connector has been coupled to a printed circuit board.
Still further, connector apparatus have been provided for interconnection between a plurality of IC packs and a main electronic unit, such as through a printed circuit board or other circuit element. In essence, one such connector apparatus includes a dual header connector for mounting on a printed circuit board and into which a pair of IC packs are inserted and ejected. The IC packs are inserted in a generally parallel or stacked condition. An example of such a dual connector apparatus is shown in U.S. Patent No. Des. 320,003 to Komatsu, dated Sep. 17, 1991. That patent shows a dual connector apparatus wherein a pair of ejecting mechanisms are formed integral with the header connector itself for independently ejecting the two IC packs from the apparatus.
There are various problems with connector apparatus designed to accommodate a plurality of stacked IC packs, such as the dual header connector described above. Specifically, when the plural ejecting mechanisms are integral portions of the dual header connector apparatus itself, all of the moving parts of the ejecting mechanisms are subjected to the harsh processing parameters of the soldering process when the Connector apparatus is coupled to a printed circuit board. Therefore, the various moving components of the ejecting mechanisms must be fabricated of expensive material which can withstand these harsh processing parameters. In addition, the use of such unitary structures, i.e. the ejecting mechanism integral with the header connector apparatus, makes it very expensive to accommodate IC packs of different thicknesses. In other words, the entire combined assembly of the header connector portion and the ejecting mechanism portion must be fabricated for a particular IC pack thickness.
It might be suggested to provide such dual connector apparatus with separate or independent ejecting mechanisms for the respective IC packs. However, such a multi-component connector apparatus is difficult to assemble and handle versus the unitary construction of connector apparatus as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. Des. 320,003 patent.
This invention is directed to solving the various problems outlined above by providing a connector apparatus for accommodating a plurality of IC packs, with separate ejecting mechanisms for each pack independent of the header connector, and with latch means for interconnecting the ejecting mechanisms to facilitate handling thereof and assembly into the connector apparatus.